deimos

I'm having an intermittent and odd problem that I hope you guys can help me out with.

Yesterday morning, I started my car (2003 E320), but some strange things happened:

1) A fan in the engine compartment started going full blast (very audible)
2) The instrument cluster display stayed on the outdoor temperature setting instead of switching to the current trip settings. Pressing the menu buttons would not make the display change.
3) The COMAND unit did not come on and no music played.
4) The turn signals did not come on when I tested for left and right turns.
5) Check engine light came on.

I drove down my street a little bit and then stopped the car, took the key out of the ignition, tried starting it again and everything worked fine. On my way home from work, the car worked fine although the check engine light was still on.

This morning, I started my car and the check engine light was no longer on, but I experienced the same problems described above. Turning off the car and restarting it appeared to temporarily solve the problem.

Any suggestions for how to get rid of the electrical gremlins? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this isn't a sign of worse things to come. I appreciate all of the help!

konigstiger

Check both batteries auxiliary located in engine compartment and main in trunk if you have not already done so. Even though you have not experienced any warnings this thread contains helpful advice https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-workshop.html

deimos

I checked both batteries and they appear to be okay; both are reading 12.4V. Could there be a problem with the instrument cluster or something else?

konigstiger

Next step would be to have a dealer, independent, or someone with SDS access check for stored fault codes.

deimos

Just for reference, I took my car in to the shop today. The fault codes indicated a CAN (network) problem that the mechanic traced back to the ignition switch. Much less expensive than replacing the instrument cluster, but apparently will require replacing the ignition switch and doing some programming on the new ignition switch to match my key.

Thanks for the suggestions and help!

trember

We have been having the same problems and more. In addition to the COMAND unit not working and the fan running at full blast, we have experienced the A/C not working, the windows not working and getting check engine message along with the tele-aid malfunction and other malfunctions that indicate visit workshop. We took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that they found no problems. Should we return and have them probe more? Also, we are having trouble with the key fobs...they are not locking and unlocking the doors...both keys.

deimos

That pretty much sounds like the same problem that I was having although I didn't have the tele-aid malfunction or other "Visit Workshop" indicators. The tech that I worked with said that it's caused by the CAN system networking problems and he traced it to either the engine ignition switch (EIS) or the instrument cluster. In my case, it was the EIS and I had it replaced. I got the car back yesterday and it's working great now.

If you're having these types of problems with your car, I would highly recommend taking it back to the dealer and talking them through the problems. When my EIS wasn't working, neither key fob would work consistently even after changing to fresh batteries. Hope this helps.

Diesel Benz

No way these all could be EIS related. You should have some at least random issues with the key at the ignition slot and then it could be the EIS.

But you really should find another workshop. If you have visit workshop malfunctions, the dealer should find stored error codes for sure. I assume none of the malfunctions were present when you brought the car to the workshop? Otherwise their behaviour would be outrageous.

trember

Thanks for the suggestions. I will take the car back and have them look further. Of course, when we took the car in before it was working fine with no malfunction codes.

Diesel Benz

When you say the fan runs at full power, did you mean the heater fan or the one at the radiator? For the first one the issue would likely be the regulator at the fan engine.

When you say the keys do not lock/unlock doors, does that also happen when you point the IR receiver at the door handle with the key? It does sound like batteries are dead on both keys (no battery is needed for starting the car). If both keys have new batteries, it sounds like the RF antenna/amp for the key signal receiver is not working (common on other cars, not that common on a W211). If it still does not open from the IR receiver, the IR receiver is likely broken (common on 211 models).

You had a lot of other problems that are not related to those I mentioned. Those could come from CAN-bus issues and EIS could be part of it (actually if EIS fails, remote locking/unlocking fails too).

trember

Its the heater fan. I just went out for lunch and had the same issues. The messages that I am getting is SRS malfunction, Tele-Aid malfunction and Restraint System malfunction. The heat fan is running at full blast, the cd/radio/nav is cycling on and off and the keys are not locking or unlocking the doors. Geesh....

rob13572468

when its the radiator fan it directly relates to the CANBUS and EIS. The reason for this is that on the W211,W209,W462,and W203 the EIS acts as a gateway, transfering some data from CANB to CANC. if the data relating to the radiator fan speed does not get to the fan controller, it then defaults to full speed to make sure that the car does not overheat.

SHarbert

I've got an 05' E320 and I am having the same exact issues as the OP.. Do you recall an approximate cost of repair?

Plutoe

The important part of the dialog was where the OP had sense enough to have the car scanned----just because he needed and expensive ignition switch does not mean that you also need one---they call your observation "sympathetic diagnostics"---very dangerous and expensive!!

SHarbert

Ah. So the it's all in my head. It only appears my Fan is so loud It sounds like I'm driving n Airboat, and the suns glare makes me believe that the Command unit will no longer turn on after having intermittent problems.. I imagine the SRS and Check Engine light with code P0600 Communication Link Error are also glitches in the Matrix. Hopefully my A/C cutting on and off as I drive are just the car having hot flashes, it is 80+ degrees outside. Regardless of all that though, and the fact that I was an Acura Mechanic and now currently troubleshoot electronics as a job, I never mentioned not bringing it in to a Service Center. I simply asked how much the repairs cost the OP or any of the others that have had these issues so I could get a ballpark figure of what it will potentially cost. Thanks though.

mohamad

hello
i have mercedes w211 e320 year 2003 and i have similer problem in my car that i keep it for 2 month standing in garage and when i cam back i start it and it was fine and strong battery but after 15 minute it switch off , i tried to start it again but no way , i keep it tell next day and i tied to start it get started but after 5 minutes go off again and tell now 5 days the same problem
i cheek the front battery 12.6 and the rear 12.6 when the car off and i cheek when the car on front battery 12.6 and rear 13.6 .
and now the electricity on the dash board act very strenge
i scan the car with star diagnostic there is a lot of fault codes in different control of corse because the electricity not stable
by the way before 2 month the ignition key was also acting strenge some time open ad some time no
so i am guessing
battery
regulator
battery control unit
ignition switch
pls who have the expirience on the mater pls be so kind to let me know ,
thanks in advance